Cook

Certified Cook

Participates in the operation and preparation of food in a kitchen/cafeteria. Serves as a main/side dish cook, baker, and dessert cook. Prepares food according to standardized recipes and specified quantities. Follows nutritional guidelines as established by the district and as recommended by professional associations.

The school cook receives day-to-day direction from the Kitchen Manager and receives specific performance requirements and guidelines from the supervisor of food and nutritional services. Operates within district and school policies and procedures, safety, and quality control requirements, and in compliance with State and County health codes and by applying acceptable professional standards.

Duties and Responsibilities: (depending on specific assignment, duties and responsibilities listed may include, but are not limited to the following)

1. Food Preparation:
2. Reads menus, recipes, and directions for numbers of meals to be served. Oversees the preparation of meals which includes recipe/menu planning, serving amounts, proper temperature, and student meal service schedules.
3. Calculates amount, measures, and mixes ingredients for number of servings.
4. Computers time to be used in preparing and finishing food products so that they are prepared, at the appropriate temperature, and ready to consume according to the student meal service schedules.
5. Arranges and protects food products so that they are retained at the safety sanitary, and quality level.
6. Comply with state and county health codes.
7. May direct the work of cook helpers or other cooks as appropriate.
8. Food Service, Cleaning and Maintenance:
1. Assists in food service to students including providing appropriate serving and arrangement.
2. May assist in verifying student meal eligibility and/or collecting school funds.
3. Maintains a safe and sanitary work environment by assisting in the cleaning of cooking surfaces, all utensils, pots, pans, trays.
4. Performs such cleaning of spills and cooking products as necessary to maintain a safe cooking environment.
5. Assists in cleaning and maintaining equipment and notifying kitchen/cafeteria manager of equipment service, repair, and maintenance needs.
9. Certification:
10. Must always maintain current safe serve certification and attend all required training.
11. Administrative and Safety Function Duties (Managers):
1. Supervise personnel and coordinate extra work which many include after-school functions, summer meals.
2. Maintains awareness of energy conservation and make suggestions of methods and procedures to consider energy.
3. Oversees and maintains department records and inventory of cooking supplies and materials.
4. Oversee the process of cash reconciliation and related record keeping and bank deposits by following the appropriate procedures.
5. Secure equipment and supplies to protect against pilferage, loss, theft, or abuse.
6. Maintains awareness of facility and equipment to detect and report a facility and equipment needs to supervisor to prevent injuries or damage.
7. Prepare orders based on inventory. Receives food and supplies checking against invoices, orders, or requisitions.
8. Maintain current knowledge of quality food program by attending relevant training, classes, and workshops.
9. Oversees/maintains required department records, i.e., menu planning sheets, standardized recipes, timesheets, etc.
10. Provide feedback regarding staff evaluations.
11. Required to follow board policies and stay abreast of updates and changes.
12. Performs all other duties assigned by administrator and/or designee.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Graduation from High School or Equivalent
• Safe Serve Certification
• Prior experience working in a school environment involving preparation and service of large and varied number of meals and food products in a condensed period.

Physical and Environmental Requirements of the Position:

• The physical demand and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• The employee must lift and/or move 25 to 50 pounds, and may assist, move, or restrain students with greater weight when required to intervene in student safety issues.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to bend, sit, lift, carry, move about, hear, and speak.
• The noise level may be high from kitchen equipment and students during mealtime.
• Required to stand, be on feet for prolonged periods of time, and move around for a full work shift and perform repetitive movements.
• Other physical abilities include carrying, pushing, pulling, balancing, stooping, and reaching.
• Employee should be able to withstand heat from ovens, burners, steam trays.
• Employees with be exposed to cutting and slicing equipment and machines with moving parts.
• Performs under strict meal deadlines; required to time task for completion in proper sequence; required to anticipate quantities and order for cost efficiency and proper storage.
• May experience frequent interruptions; required to deal with a wide range of student, staff, and public behaviors, may be required to shift focus to respond wo student, staff, and public needs; may experience daily shifts in work schedule according to building usage; may occasionally deal with distraught or difficult individuals.
• Required to move, push. Lift heavy supplies and full pans of food weight up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to use computer equipment to complete reports, maintain inventories, etc.
• It may be expected that the individual could be exposed to blood or other potentially infectious materials or illnesses during their duties. Required to wear protective clothing and assist students by cleaning up meal spills.

The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the American with Disabilities Act (A.D.A.) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. Additional duties are performed by the individuals currently holding this position and additional duties may be assigned.